critics say he was the best thing about "dallas." but explaining the character's appeal, hagman once said, the time is ripe for a real bad guy and i'm it. >> have a good day, master? >> i'm going to have a wonderful day, genie. >> reporter: it was a good guy who larry hagman blasted into people's living rooms playing astronaut tony nelson on "i dream of genie." the show is still popular in syndication. even as a kid, hagman orbited in showbiz as the son of peter pan star mary martin, his movie roles included "up the cellar" and "harry and tonto". >> i don't need an office anymore. >> reporter: it was only after milking a huge contract from the producers of "dallas" that hagman became immensely wealthy. he had houses, he had cars, he had vices. two of them included drinking and smoking. he smoked for 24 years, gave it up and became an anti-smoking activist and spokesman for the american cancer society. >> i met at least 30, 40 people that said they quit because of my personal involvement, which makes me feel really good. >> reporter: